Study Notes on Scholarly Articles

The Academic Audience
  • The academic community consists of multiple circles of interest.
  • Example: A book on Canadian Foreign Policy towards Latin America may attract different audiences:
    • Readers specialized in Canadian Foreign Policy.
    • Scholars interested in Canadian politics and policy.
    • Those focused on foreign policy making in general.
    • Scholars interested in comparative politics or broader areas such as Political Science or interdisciplinary fields like development studies.
Inequality in Academic Work
  • Not all academic work holds the same value or recognition.
  • Specialized works (e.g., Brazilian foreign policy) may not be as respected as broader topics.
  • The most respected work often appeals to a larger audience, including non-specialists.
  • Aim to create research with wide appeal to demonstrate significance.
Importance of Framing Research
  • Academics must effectively "sell" their work to their intended audience by highlighting relevance and importance.
  • Essential to address the question: "Why should we care about…" regarding the subject matter.
  • A strong need to show the research adds something new to existing knowledge, rather than merely reiterating what is known.
Puzzles in Social Science
  • Social scientists find puzzles (empirical/theoretical riddles) engaging and important:
    • Example types of puzzles:
    • Theory predicts outcome J, recent events suggest K (which contradicts J).
    • Two theories predict different outcomes (Theory 1 predicts J and Theory 2 predicts K).
    • Conventional wisdom supports J, but another theory contradicts this viewpoint.
Structure of an Academic Article - Part I
  • Abstract: Provides an executive summary.
  • Introduction:
    • Answers "Why read this article?" by explaining the significance and relevance of the questions discussed.
    • Articulates the article's contribution to the field.
    • May utilize a "hook" to attract interest and fit the journal/audience's needs.
    • Identifies or enlarges the circle of interest for the research.
    • Important literature relevant to the topic should be introduced in this section.
Exercises for Understanding Articles
  • Questions to consider when reading articles:
    • What is the main topic or research question?
    • Why is it relevant or appealing on a broader scale?
    • Is there a puzzle present, and what type?
The Role of Literature Reviews
  • Literature reviews are not just lists; they must:
    • Focus on the research question at hand.
    • Be comprehensive, showing good faith in finding prior publications.
    • Differentiate between impactful seminal works and lesser works.
    • Be accurate in representing the work of other scholars, reflecting expertise in the field.
    • Be evaluative and critical, identifying gaps in existing knowledge.
What to Include in Literature Reviews
  • Describe findings of relevant research.
  • Identify methods used in these studies, and:
    • Ensure an evaluative stance that points out shortcomings in previous works.
    • Organize findings in a way that may include historical, thematic, or methodological approaches.
Research Tools and Search Strategies
  • Google Scholar:
    • Explore different article versions, related articles, and citations.
  • ISI Web of Knowledge:
    • Utilize library settings, search for specific topics, and download citation information.
  • Scholars Portal:
    • Use subject area databases, avoiding overly different interpretations of terms.
  • JSTOR:
    • Search for journal articles by author or title.
    • Note that it may not include the most recent works, which might be available on publishers' websites.
  • Traditional Methods:
    • Browsing libraries or searching for known call numbers for relevant books.
    • Searching an author’s name may lead to other publications on similar topics.
Research Design and Hypotheses
  • Clearly articulate what the author expects to find. This includes:
    • Research Method:
    • Distinguish between qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
    • Comparative designs may involve multiple countries or comparative units.
    • Example types of comparisons include:
    • Country-country or subnational comparisons (e.g., cities or public policy).
    • Achieve clarity on the underlying logic and assumptions of the research.
Comparative Comparisons in Research
  • Comparative studies can:
    • Investigate vastly different political units to identify commonalities or differences.
    • Address issues of causality and control variables effectively.
    • Utilize methods like most different or most similar designs to support research conclusions.
Key Takeaways from "Unpacking Scholarly Articles"
  • Importance of Circles of Interest and presenting the significance of research.
  • The literature review's role in understanding and building upon existing research.
  • Effective search strategies are essential for locating relevant academic works.